The U.S. Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) said Tuesday it has expanded a geographic targeting order (GTO) along the Southwest border, extending the measure into New Mexico for the first time and adding Maricopa and Pima counties in Arizona.

The order requires covered money services businesses (MSBs) in designated parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Texas, as well as specified ZIP codes in California, to file Currency Transaction Reports for cash transactions of $1,000 to $10,000 when those transactions involve deposits, withdrawals, currency exchanges, or other payments or transfers in currency. 

Under the order, the businesses must verify the individuals behind the transactions and record the identifying information used to do so on the report. Reports must be filed electronically through FinCEN’s BSA E-Filing system within 30 days, and covered firms must keep related records for five years. 

The GTO, first published in September of last year, comes as part of the Trump administration’s efforts to crack down on drug-cartel activity along the U.S.-Mexico border, including the exploitation of any MSBs that may be transmitting illicit proceeds on behalf of traffickers. 

FinCEN said the order took effect March 7 and runs through September 2. Businesses newly brought under the measure because of the expansion have until April 6 to begin complying. 

Read more at FinCEN